Rules for Life
Illustration
Stories
Teddy thought for a moment and then shook his head. “I appreciate you asking but no thanks.”
“Are you sure?” Paula asked. “The new pastor is a great speaker I think you would like him.”
“No, I don’t like to go to church because I fine church really negative.” Teddy tapped his chin with his finger. “Plus with the exception of you, I find I don’t think I have anything in common with people who go to church.”
“Really? You do realize that all the other people you hang out with go to church.” Paula tilted her head to one side. “Todd and Silvie sing in the choir, Lewis is on the board, and Derek teaches youth group.”
“Huh. Well I guess you guys are okay.” Teddy rubbed his chin. “You guys are okay but that doesn’t change the fact that I find church kind of negative with all sorts of rules about what I can and cannot do. You know all the ‘thou shalt not’ commands.”
“Ah, you mean the ten commandments?”
“Yeah, those ones. I guess I’d prefer them to be more positive and upbeat and not so restrictive and demanding.”
Paula looked at her friend for a few moments. “You commute to work, don’t you?”
“Yeah. I wish I didn’t have to do all the driving, but I don’t have any choice.”
“What do you think about the rules of the road?”
Teddy sighed. “I wish more people followed them.”
“Why?”
“The rules help people to share the road and to stay out of accidents. I mean just the other day there was someone speeding, and they ended up in an accident which made me late for work.”
“So, rules that tell us limits and guide our actions have a place, don’t they?” Paula asked.
“Well, I suppose they do.” Teddy frowned. “I guess I could get behind some of the rules like not killing and not stealing. But like I said I wish they were more positive.”
“Do you mean something more like respecting your elders and making sure you take time to learn and grow as a person?”
“Sure, now those would be rules I could get behind.” Teddy paused. “Wait a minute. Those are some of the rules, aren’t they?”
“Two of them,” Paula said. “Honor your parents and keep the sabbath. You’re right some of the ten commandments are restrictive because they are like the guardrails on the road that keep us from danger. God gave them to us so that we know what is important and where we should stay away from.”
“Okay. Like I said I guess that would be okay.” Teddy shrugged. “They seem too random though. Like a list of what I can’t do in life which makes me start to think that God is sitting up in heaven just waiting for me to fail.”
“Which is not the way I think about God at all,” Paula said. “When you are driving are you thinking that the sign that has the speed limit is telling you that you can’t go above a certain amount?”
“No, I see it is a reminder for me that when conditions are good, that is a safe speed for me to go and not get into trouble.” Teddy narrowed his eyes. “So, you’re saying that the same thing applies to the commandments in the Bible?”
“Sure. When God tells us not to commit adultery, it is a reminder of how precious and important the vows we make in marriage are.”
“Huh.” Teddy thought for a moment. “So, the rule is there to show us what not to do and to point us to the important truth of how God wants us to live?”
“Exactly. For instance, life is sacred so we shouldn’t shorten a life by killing another person.”
Teddy thought about it for a moment. “Okay. I guess I never thought about the commandments that way.”
“Honestly, I hadn’t either before our new pastor spoke about them in church one day.” Paula smiled. “He really opened my eyes to seeing the commandments and rules in the Bible not as something that stops me from living as I want to, but that as guides to help me grow and become the best person I can.”
“Huh. That new pastor you were talking about said all of that?”
“Well, maybe not in those exact words but that is what he said.” Paula nodded. “That’s why I said I thought you would really like him. He has a fresh way of speaking about things and makes the Bible come alive as he speaks.”
“Okay. One more question.”
“Sure”
“Do you want to pick me up on Sunday or should I just meet you at the church?”
Paula laughed. “How about you pick me up since I am on your way?”
Teddy smiled. “Sounds great.”
*****************************************
StoryShare, October 8, 2023 issue.
Copyright 2023 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
“Are you sure?” Paula asked. “The new pastor is a great speaker I think you would like him.”
“No, I don’t like to go to church because I fine church really negative.” Teddy tapped his chin with his finger. “Plus with the exception of you, I find I don’t think I have anything in common with people who go to church.”
“Really? You do realize that all the other people you hang out with go to church.” Paula tilted her head to one side. “Todd and Silvie sing in the choir, Lewis is on the board, and Derek teaches youth group.”
“Huh. Well I guess you guys are okay.” Teddy rubbed his chin. “You guys are okay but that doesn’t change the fact that I find church kind of negative with all sorts of rules about what I can and cannot do. You know all the ‘thou shalt not’ commands.”
“Ah, you mean the ten commandments?”
“Yeah, those ones. I guess I’d prefer them to be more positive and upbeat and not so restrictive and demanding.”
Paula looked at her friend for a few moments. “You commute to work, don’t you?”
“Yeah. I wish I didn’t have to do all the driving, but I don’t have any choice.”
“What do you think about the rules of the road?”
Teddy sighed. “I wish more people followed them.”
“Why?”
“The rules help people to share the road and to stay out of accidents. I mean just the other day there was someone speeding, and they ended up in an accident which made me late for work.”
“So, rules that tell us limits and guide our actions have a place, don’t they?” Paula asked.
“Well, I suppose they do.” Teddy frowned. “I guess I could get behind some of the rules like not killing and not stealing. But like I said I wish they were more positive.”
“Do you mean something more like respecting your elders and making sure you take time to learn and grow as a person?”
“Sure, now those would be rules I could get behind.” Teddy paused. “Wait a minute. Those are some of the rules, aren’t they?”
“Two of them,” Paula said. “Honor your parents and keep the sabbath. You’re right some of the ten commandments are restrictive because they are like the guardrails on the road that keep us from danger. God gave them to us so that we know what is important and where we should stay away from.”
“Okay. Like I said I guess that would be okay.” Teddy shrugged. “They seem too random though. Like a list of what I can’t do in life which makes me start to think that God is sitting up in heaven just waiting for me to fail.”
“Which is not the way I think about God at all,” Paula said. “When you are driving are you thinking that the sign that has the speed limit is telling you that you can’t go above a certain amount?”
“No, I see it is a reminder for me that when conditions are good, that is a safe speed for me to go and not get into trouble.” Teddy narrowed his eyes. “So, you’re saying that the same thing applies to the commandments in the Bible?”
“Sure. When God tells us not to commit adultery, it is a reminder of how precious and important the vows we make in marriage are.”
“Huh.” Teddy thought for a moment. “So, the rule is there to show us what not to do and to point us to the important truth of how God wants us to live?”
“Exactly. For instance, life is sacred so we shouldn’t shorten a life by killing another person.”
Teddy thought about it for a moment. “Okay. I guess I never thought about the commandments that way.”
“Honestly, I hadn’t either before our new pastor spoke about them in church one day.” Paula smiled. “He really opened my eyes to seeing the commandments and rules in the Bible not as something that stops me from living as I want to, but that as guides to help me grow and become the best person I can.”
“Huh. That new pastor you were talking about said all of that?”
“Well, maybe not in those exact words but that is what he said.” Paula nodded. “That’s why I said I thought you would really like him. He has a fresh way of speaking about things and makes the Bible come alive as he speaks.”
“Okay. One more question.”
“Sure”
“Do you want to pick me up on Sunday or should I just meet you at the church?”
Paula laughed. “How about you pick me up since I am on your way?”
Teddy smiled. “Sounds great.”
*****************************************
StoryShare, October 8, 2023 issue.
Copyright 2023 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
